on active service in Afghanistan, the fourth and fifth such deaths in the course of a week. Their deaths were reported as the second item on this evening’s BBC Ten O’Clock News bulletin. What story was judged by the BBC as being more important than the sacrifice of two British soldiers?
Yes, you’ve guessed it – the BBC’s fifteen minute long Ten O’Clock News programme was led by a full five minutes on the resignation of David Beckham as Captain of the England football team, with filmed pieces about the return of the squad (oh look, an aeroplane landing), the disappointment of Sven Goran Eriksson and an obituary style review of David Beckham’s time as captain, “those legendary free kicks”, and so on, even though Beckham has made it clear that he’s staying on as an England player.
The Beckham story is a big story – a big sports story – but it shouldn’t have led the Ten O’Clock News on any but the slowest of news days, and certainly not on a day with sad news like today. It’s not as if England’s football disappointment wasn’t fully covered yesterday, over and above the deaths of sixty people in a Baghdad bombing.
The producers of the Ten O’Clock News should be ashamed of their choice this evening – the British Broadcasting Corporation should know better.
re my post about the israeli flag above, maybe i wasnt clear. i was on about organising a pro-israel demo opposite the islam expo. or maybe get Thatchell involved and do a pro-human rights demo, if the israel angle is too hot to handle (for the Met Police)
Israeli flag
Contact the embassy: http://london.mfa.gov.il/
or buy here: http://www.hampshireflag.co.uk/table-flags.html
Sorry, Archduke… I thought you actually wanted to buy a flag. I’ve seen enough of London this year. I’m off to Ohio to visit my special lady in a few weeks. The pro-Israel demo is a great idea though!
bbc main story on their website.
al qaeda bid to infiltrate mi5.
says people with sympathies to
al qaeda have been weeded out over
8 month vetting period.no ex bbc
employee’s in mi5 then.
s.h.: That’s exactly what Robert Spencer of Jihadwatch.org has been warning about for ages. I’m not surprised.
s.h. -> hmm.. surely the intelligence service would actually *allow* an “al qaeda” operative to infiltrate.
it would allow MI5 to find out who is reporting to , for starters.
to be honest, this story smacks of No. 10 Blairite spin, than anything real.
(as if M.I.5 would go blabbing to the BBC about its internal operations? come off it…)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5140320.stm
Israeli Press warns government.
———
Doubleplusgood use of selective quotations from Israeli newspapers. Note the lack of inclusion of the Jerusalem Post or even a link to Jpost, which is Israel’s oldest english speaking daily paper.
This rush of “July 7” so-called intelligence stories on the BBC website includes a claim by the police that they’re thinking of prosecutions against people who knew about the atrocities in advance (hey! that’s a novel idea!)… Great to know that “security correspondent” Frank Gardner has kept us up to the minute on all of this over the past year…
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5139108.stm
Hamas threatens attacks in Israel
——-
Some very encouraging signs of improvment at the BBC.
“In the past, Hamas suicide bombers have struck many times in Israeli cities, the last time in Beersheba in August 2004, when 16 people died.
The last suicide bombing in Israel, which killed 11 people in Tel Aviv in April this year, was claimed by the smaller Islamic Jihad group.”
Points earned for use of plain english “suicide bomber”.
One demerit for use of passive construction “when 16 people died” vs when “16 people were killed”
—–
“The BBC’s Alan Johnston in Gaza says the threat to resume attacks might turn out to be no more than rhetoric, but it will be taken as another sign of a hardening of the mood as the crisis surrounding the captured soldier escalates.”
No more than crude, clumsy rehtoric?
Alan Johnston loses several points for being a naive boob.
MP -> for all i know “Maariv” or “Haaretz” might have had counter arguments on the very same page.
That BBC page is a triumph of Winston Smith editing. The Party would have been proud of it.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5136988.stm
Palestinians face Gaza hardships
—-
Some stealth editing by the BBC to clean up the english is well appreciated.
“In Beit Hanoun, a town in northern Gaza, residents are tense about a major Israeli military operation. This is the site from where many of the rockets are fired by Palestinians into Israel.”
Good use of active voice.
“The pro-Israel demo is a great idea though!”
hmmm.. maybe i should buy that flag. just thinking out loud here.
http://www.londontown.com/LondonEvents/IslamExpo/e4293
“Throughout the festival, speeches, lectures, seminars and workshops will be taking place. We really recommend you make an effort to get to some of these. Key politicians and prominent Islamic figures will all be giving fascinating talks.”
fascinating. maybe i’ll buy a ticket and blog about it.
guess who’s confirmed to speak at islamexpo.
why, its none other than frank gardner
http://islamexpo.info/
bias? what bias?
http://islamexpo.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=105&Itemid=155
@archduke
Yes the BBC does have alot of Bellyfeel for the palestinian cause.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5132932.stm
Analysis: Israel’s wider aims in Gaza
Paul Reynolds.
—-
“The crisis brought together a professional humiliation for the Israeli army with a desire by the Israeli government to deal with the constant bombardment of the Israeli town of Sderot, which happens to be Mr Peretz’s home town.”
Those jews and their psychodrama.
As I have pointed out, rescuing fallen soldiers is something that every army does. The IDF especially so because of Jewish tradition. No one is taking this as a humiliation. The BBC almost implies that the israeli government has an unhealthy fascination with getting Gilad Shalit back.
“The two have brought about a powerful incentive for Israel to take punitive measures against Hamas.”
So immature, the israeli’s just can’t control thier punitive urges.
“Some of those measures, such as the bombing of a power plant in Gaza, have brought international criticism and questions as to whether this attack violated Article 48 of the addition to the Geneva Conventions in 1949”
I won’t dignify this any comment.
“In addition, Israel can argue the case that the original attack on their base outside Gaza on Sunday was a violation of their sovereign territory. Arguments from both sides go even further back.
In any event, the issue now is how far the Israelis will go if its soldier is not freed or is killed.
It has gone into southern Gaza but has held off from the north. It would not hold back if Corporal Shalit was killed”
Can the Jews contain themselves and behave in a civilised manner?
——
There is so much trivialisation of the israeli side. Fundamentally Israel wants the soldier back, and the rocket attacks to stop.
very interesting post on harrys place, on Joska Fischer & the Entebbe hijack
http://hurryupharry.bloghouse.net/archives/2006/07/03/entebbe_for_some_the_beginning_of_wisdom.php
“Yes the BBC does have alot of Bellyfeel for the palestinian cause.”
i just saw Paul Reynolds doing the piece to camera in the MIDDLE OF A HAMAS FUNERAL!
now, seriously – ask yourself this question.
would any BBC journalist be able to film from within an I.R.A. funernal during the 1970s? of course not. the BBC was the “enemy” as it was viewed as an arm of the British government.
So, how come Hamas feel ok with the BBC? what deals have been struck?
How has Mr Reynold’s safety been guaranteed? one would have thought that at a funeral , a disgruntled Hamas heavy would have had a pop at him with an AK47.
so, what deal has been done?
and what have the BBC promised in return to ensure Mr Reynolds safety?
we , as license fee payers, deserve to be told, so that we can take account of such deals and come to our own conclusion about BBC reports from that area.
Biased BBC and how it uses its version of history in which to promote its support of the cult of the Plumber;
‘Beware Afghanistan: First basic rule’
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/5141310.stm
So once again we are serenaded to the soothsayers vision of disaster in Afghanistan simply because 100 years ago we got our arses kicked.
‘In the First Afghan War of 1832-42 (note its length), the British did manage to put a compliant ruler on the Afghan throne as a buffer against Russian influence, but it then all went disastrously wrong.
It ended when a British column of soldiers and camp followers some 16,000 strong was massacred as they tried to withdraw. One of the few survivors (some claim he was the only one) was a doctor, William Brydon.’
So Al Beeb presents a vision of doom and despair for any future and further interaction with Afghanistan by promoting the vision of devastating human losses at the hands of the fearless Afghan warrior who also defeated the Russian bear.
Er Al Beeb please allow me to correct some of that anti British hatred you dispense at my expense as news;
The British invaded Afghanistan in 1839 and not 1832 as you claim.
(You may wish to remove this little snippet you inserted after the time frame
‘(note its length)’ in which to say that any military involvement in said country is going to be a long one.
In fact here is a google on ‘First Anglo-Afghan War’
http://www.google.com/search?client=opera&rls=en&q=First+Anglo-Afghan+War&sourceid=opera&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8
Note not one has the start day in 1832 rather they have either 1938 or 39.
That 16000 column of soldiers and camp followers that was devastated by the fearful afghan warriors consisted of around 4500 soldiers and 12000 camp followers. Who were killed not in battle on an equal battlefield as your story suggests but rather after a senior British officer was murdered by a mob in Kabul came to an agreement with the local leaders for the safe return of his forces to India leaving Afghanistan for good. It was while that force passed through 30 miles of treacherous gorges and passes lying between Kabul and Gandomak during the depth of winter Jan 1842 that they were picked off from above. (No doubt a few were killed by the weather)
(Please refer to how Al Beeb reported that Aid to the earthquake region of Pakistan had to be in before winter set in to understand the above)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/4575862.stm
So rather than the full scale assault by super warriors who never say die. It appears that the weather, a civil war in Afghanistan (supported by Iran and Russia) and a much smaller number of men all played a part in that retreat which while given the word of safe conduct in the middle of winter back home to India were picked off like rabbits in a barrel .
Oh yes Al Beeb you actually state in the article that the second Afghan war that the British put into place a ruler who stayed in power until the British were forced out.
Really. And there was I thinking that the East India Company left the country as it wasn’t returning a profit.
Oh dear AL Beeb it seems you lie like your masters.
P.S
Any chance you can run an article on the 10 uses of a Pakistani, Iranian, Afghanistan or Saudi Arabian flag. I did so enjoy your article on the comparative 10 uses of an English flag.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/5140912.stm
2 hopes of that I reckon
Ones dead (Bob) and the others no hope.
http://www.whatthewestneedstoknow.com/about_the_project.asp
via jwatch.
Yes, rockets should be called missiles.
But the act of firing one of those missiles is attempted murder of civilians.
I would prefer the BBC to report that recently there have been 1000 attempted murders, and that Hamas has not tried to stop this. If the Gaza area is “overcrowded” it is clear that these attempted murders were set up in full view of the authorities.
Then people could perhaps understand what has really been going on. It is entirely wrong of the BBC to present the current Israeli actions as being just due to the taking of an Israeli soldier.
the “MI5 infiltrated by Al q” story by the BBC is omitting one crucial aspect.
jwatch fills in thedetails:
http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/012076.php
they could well be white converts.
(one would assume that the sterotypical bearded Asian who prays 5 times a day, would be quietly filtered out of the MI5 applications – therefore, in my view, it could well point to white Al Q sympathisers)
amazing.
the brother of one the soldiers killed in Afghanistan is interviewed with his face blacked out.
(news 24)
why?
because he was a Muslim of Pakistani origin.
What the BBC never say is WHY his brother’s face was blacked out.
Is this an admission that we have a 5th column within the UK, ready to kill the relatives of anyone who dares to join Her Majesties forces?
has the BBC investigated this? why did the brother have to have his face blacked out? might i see a panorama docu on this? probably not.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/5140912.stm
i find the self loathing in this a bit disconcerting.
i couldnt imagine, for one minute, that RTE , in my homeland, would run a page like that on the tricolour.
in fact, the more i read it, the more disturbed i become – as an Irishman, i should be one of the first to laugh at it (as stereotypes go) – but i dont.
i just find it almost like a crack, a break, into the inner mind of the Beeboid mindset. very disturbing.
Biased BBC and its continuing running down of the British at the expense of those who have no wish to integrate into our way of life;
Rambling in headscarves
By Emma Griffiths
With its busy roundabout, thundering dual carriageways and baffling subway system, Elephant and Castle is not the most rambler-friendly environment.
But then the gaggle of walkers out to enjoy the hidden urban delights of the London Borough of Southwark are not your typical ramblers.
Mother-of-four Navy Choudhury, 32, has been so impressed she thinks there should be a mini-ramble for children and one for the elderly, so her mother can take part.
“I didn’t know [about the Ramblers’ Association] before, somebody said to me it was for elderly people,” she said.
“I thought it was something you did in the countryside and it was all very English.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/5129738.stm
I take it the reporter of the above has never been to the E and C. I mean I’ve never seen anybody dressed as a rambler who is white never mind from another country.
(But I have seen people who are obviously not ‘English’ pissing in the street between the E and C and the Imperial War Museum during the middle of the day)
But hang on most of these people are actually born here. They were born in England. They are English. Now if I who was born in England in 1961 could do my D of E (As did my brother who was born in India) and go on to climb every major mountain in Britain as well as in the Alps. Then pray can somebody at Al Beeb please explain how they can attack my fellow country men with the following;
‘”It’s white, middle class, countryside walking really – that tends to be its national [image] – it’s all about rural footpaths and that sort of thing,” he said.’
Al Beeb has some bloody strange concepts of Racism but somehow it fails to realise that self imposed restrictions on integration isn’t the fault of the white English rather it is the fault of the people who wish to have no reason to integrate into our society what so ever. Using the race card in which to defend that cultural intolerance is a cop out.
Here is a picture taken of me last Sunday in the middle of Poland where I was the only coloured person in the town square.(Which was full of white people)
http://www.photohosting.info/uploads/3a32e67878.jpg
Not once did I see or feel any animosity towards me. Rather I was made welcome by all. But then I’m not one of the idiots that Al Beeb tries to defend by not integrating with the locals. I actually do as the locals do, thus becoming their friend.
Maybe Al Beeb could run a story on how if I walk down to the lottery shop on a Sat I will find loads of Plumbers buying tickets. I mean it is sooo against their faith. No problem integrating there is there.
Same here, Pounce… Whenever I’m in the UK I surprise the locals by drinking bitter instead of the “oh so fashionable” lager. Why travel to a country if you don’t like its customs, people and lingo? Reminds me of the Germans who keep spending their holidays in Majorca because they can eat sauerkraut and drink German beer there. Having said that I must admit to drinking English beer when I’m in the US. American beer simply doesn’t do it for me – too watery.
You’re a good example of integration, my friend. I don’t think the Beeb would ask you onto any of their panels though.
Archduke:
Re the flag article.
I’ve just left a comment suggesting they do the same with the Pakistani flag after the cricket.
My City will be full of them (and no, I don’t have too much of a problem with that per-se.)
£10 says it won’t get posted.
BBC HYS
“Who is the most influential Muslim figure globally?”
Would that be Osama?
He’s still certainly popular where I live.
I’ve got two Union Flags and two Crosses of St. George (one with the Three Lions on it) as well as a West Ham F.A. Cup Final Flag. Why would I want to get rid of them anyway? There’s always a reason to fly the flag, right?
The flag article is apalling.
Could you imagine a US newspaper/broadcaster suggesting the same things to an American flag?
newnight are reporting on Somalia right now.
“a semblance of order has returned” thanks to the Islamic takeover.
then again, in germany, a semblance of order returned in 1933.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/5141858.stm
Tributes to dead British soldiers.
——
Tasteless headline. Should be fallen soldiers.
“The two men died on Saturday when a rocket-propelled grenade struck the regional headquarters in Sangin.”
What did they die from? The BBC tells us when they died, but not how they died or what killed them.
“In a statement they said: “Jabron wanted to join the British army as a young boy growing up in Pakistan. He was proud of his role as a serving soldier and looked forward to his deployment in Afghanistan.
“He felt privileged to represent the Army as a Muslim British Pakistani who wanted to use his background and position to contribute at a time where there exists a lack of understanding of cultures, ideologies and religious identities.”
Fascinating. Perhaps we could learn more about this? The BBC spends more time on the lives of terrorists attacking britian, than on the lives of men defending Britian.
“I actually do as the locals do, thus becoming their friend.”
i think the original word for it is “Romanisation”.
Re-reading the classics, and how that Roman Empire worked, is of more relevance to today than it ever has been. What most folks dont realise is that the Roman Empire really *was* a nation of hundreds of different nationalities and tribes across an entire continent – but all united under Roman citizenship.
To serve in the Roman army was something honourable, no matter what your skin color or nationality was.
And this happened over 2000 years ago!
we have a lot to learn.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/5049176.stm
Are water profits flowing too freely?
=====
Creeping Ingsoc.
“Is it right that water companies can be generating such big profits while millions of customers are getting restricted supplies?”
YES.
A water shortage has nothing to with the profits of the water utility.
“For perspective, it is important to understand that the UK water industry operates in a rather peculiar way.”
It’s the standard way regulated utilities operate. This has been done for since the 1870s.
“Among its powers, Ofwat controls the maximum price at which water companies can sell their water.
Every five years it conducts a “Periodic Review”. After looking at business plans and investment requirements, it sets an annual price limit which is meant to allow enough revenue for operations, investment – and a profit.”
Typical regulation of a regulated public utility. Rate board sets rates to ensure a limited (i.e full monopoloy rent is not extracted) and attractive return on the rate base.
“Following what was seen as a rather friendly review for the 1995-2000 period, Ofwat clamped down on charges in its review for 2000-2005.
As a result, investors deserted the sector. With share prices halving during the period, it became harder for the water firms to raise money for investment.”
Someone has to pay for it. In the real world, unlike the BBC, capital is not free.
No one is forced to invest in water companies if the return is unattractive. How very unlike Englands sole public broadcaster.
“It also said that companies could make a return on their assets of 5.1%, meaning that for every £100 investors put in, they could expect to get £105.10 back.”
That’s very weak. In the US electric companies are allowed to get an 8% return on their rate base.
If you can earn 5.1% on a risk-free Government bond, why buy shares in water company with some risk? A policy of forcing unattractive rates of return, will only result in underinvestment in water companies by the capital markets.
MEANING THAT CUSTOMERS WILL HAVE TO PAY HIGHER RATES IN ORDER TO FINANCE CAPITAL EXPENDITURES.
“Fascinating. Perhaps we could learn more about this? The BBC spends more time on the lives of terrorists attacking britian, than on the lives of men defending Britian.”
errr. we cant. the chaps brother had his faced blacked out in an earlier report.
of course the BBC wouldnt elaborate on this.
somehow Chief Wiggum’s “nothing to see here move along” comes to mind.
hmmm.. the more i think about the face-blackout incident the more maddening it becomes.
here we have a hero – a guy who gave his life for this country.
and yet his family cannot come out of the shadows to express their pride in him.
and they are in England, 2006.
i understand the need for the face blackout – but what does that say about the state of Blair’s England?
As the French might exclaim in disgust- “incroyable!”
@archduke, is that there is something wrong in our green and pleasant land. IMHO the BBC’s constant denegration of the Allied forces has set much of the stage.
I am reminded of Abraham Lincoln’s Letter to Mrs Bixby, who lost her five sons in the Civil War.
I feel how weak and fruitless must be any words of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering to you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save. I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom.
It is exactly that lack of solemn pride which is most troubling.
I can’t wait to see how the BBC will run with this.
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1150885910380&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
Noam Shalit criticizes gov’t actions
Note well
“Despite the fact that Israel’s acceptance of the ultimatum could have raised the prospects of his son’s return home, Shalit said he approved of the Israeli response to the ultimatum, by which Israel would not yield to blackmail.”
Frank “Don’t shoot I’m a plumber” Gardner’s little piece on the 7/7 anniversary:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5140958.stm
It contains this little lie:
“These feelings have only been exacerbated by the bungled police raid this summer at Forest Gate in East London, in which a young man was shot in error and a suspected bomb factory turned out to be an ordinary, law-abiding household.”
Yes, the same household that produced this law-abiding citizen:
http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2006260467,00.html
Another view on the flag:
We call upon all Muslims to take heed from this message and to remove any flags they may posses however big or small and to advise others to do the same, be they neighbours, family, relatives or friends.
http://www.alghurabaa.co.uk/Deen/walaa_baraa/flag.htm
I hope everyone keeps their flags flying. Show the ‘b’BC you care.
Here’s a downloadable poster which, no doubt the BBC will add to their website.
http://www.alghurabaa.co.uk/image/values_final.gif
From Iain Dale’s blog…
http://iaindale.blogspot.com/2006/07/bbc-censor-ross-praise-of-cameron.html
“Another view on the flag:”
where can i get one of those crusader costumes? who the hell came up with that stonkingly great idea?
http://www.alghurabaa.co.uk/Deen/walaa_baraa/flag.htm
fantastic – if they are pissed off with something, it means we should ALL do the complete opposite, no matter what your background, race, nationality.
Moderate high ranking muslim spilling the beans!
This video clip shows what Muslims think is the status of non-Muslims and how they will be treated if they become the majority in any country. This Mullah in the following clip a high ranking cleric. He says that non-Muslims should either accept Islam to be equals, accept to be treated as second class citizens or face death.
Takes a little while to get to the nitty gritty, well worth the wait! This guy has a wiki entry, top notch muzzie!
[Please do not use the term “muzzie” again.]
Edited By Siteowner
“It is exactly that lack of solemn pride which is most troubling.
Market Participant | Homepage | 03.07.06 – 11:27 pm |”
wow. what a quote. i have nothing to add to that – besides saying ,instead of “islam expo” we should be celebrating that Muslim chap who integrated, and who died for this country(and you could say, died for freedom from taliban fascism)
And considering the obvious opposition to it in his own community, the bravery of that man is all the more poignant and touching. we need more of that sort of person, and rather less of the self-blowing-up type.
“top notch muzzie!”
i dont like phrases like that. “muzzie”. we’re in “Juden” territory there – lets try to keep the focus on a very simple concept
freedom v sharia law
its a simple yes-no argument. “muzzie” doesnt really add to the debate and marks us out as “racists” – you know the deal.
“I am reminded of Abraham Lincoln’s Letter to Mrs Bixby, who lost her five sons in the Civil War.”
i might be wrong, but didnt the whole “saving private ryan” ethos stem from that incident?
of course, the israelis have gone one step further, where EVERY soldier is the personal responsibility of the israeli PM- but this honourable aspect is never reflected in the current BBC reports.
i find it awe inspiring that a country could treat each and every soldier with an enormous amount of protection and respect – to the extent of going to war over that ONE soldier. that is something admirable.
compare and contrast to the current British government sending out our boys to Basra in land rovers that have no protection from roadside bombs. the attitude i get back is that they just dont care – well , not compared to the Israeli government about its own troops.
Biased BBC and its anti western stance.
I’ve had a butchers at the BBC article about the two British soldiers who died in Afghanistan and noticed that one was a brave Muslim who took the time and effort to join the armed forces of his adoptive land.
Now if the BBC can post this article in the ‘South Asian’ news of the BBC;
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/tayside_and_central/4987742.stm
About how a BRITISH born child of Pakistani parents was having a little bother trying to get back to the UK. (A story of shared cultural ties)
Then can somebody at AL BEEB please explain why a young man who gave his life fighting for his own religious creed (we are there to help the people of Afghanistan)
Isn’t deemed news worthy by the BBC in which to report to the faithful around the world that there are Muslims who are willing to stand up to the idiots who use their religious devotion in which kill the sick, lame and lazy as a story in the south Asian news site.
It’s as if Al Beeb doesn’t wish for anything positive to be written about the British involvement in Afghanistan.
Yes, the letter to Mrs Bixby is very famous. That was the basis for the movie.
Taken as a whole, I am very much interested in learning more about the Pakistani soldier. It is disturbing that he died to defend a country in which his own brother is afraid to reveal himself.
I’m not sure I could honestly ask people to defend that. The same situation played out in WWII in which many minorities in the US fought to defend a country which did alot of things not worth defending.
Somehow I don’t think the BBC will pull though, since the story of our fallen soldier isn’t tragic enough nor offers good chances to stick it to the Allies.
Biased BBC and how it defends the world’s real despots and evil empires.
Nice little picture article on how China has constructed a controversial rail line all the way to Tibet.
So why is the line controversial to the BBC:
1) But critics say it will speed up the undermining of traditional Tibetan culture.
2) But Tibetan groups and foreign critics say the railway’s real aim is political, as a symbol of China’s administrative and military control over a contested border region.(Quoted to a picture of a smiling peasant)
3) There are fears the railway will speed up the immigration of ethnic Chinese into Tibet, threatening its distinct cultural and religious identity.
4) Critics also complain that most of the jobs created will go to ethnic Chinese, as Tibet’s under-funded schools leave local people poorly educated and unable to speak Chinese.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_pictures/5128684.stm
So there you have it folks the real reason why people deem that railway controversial.
Nothing at all about the fact that China invaded and annexed Tibet in 1949.
But hey if America and the UK invade a country and try to repair them, Al Beeb is up in arms. Yet when the despots behind Tiananmen Square do anything then accolades such as this abound;
1) China says environmental concerns were given top priority. It cites the Tibetan antelope, and says construction was suspended so as not to interfere with the animals’ migration.
2) China says the $4.2bn (£2.3bn) railway will bring trade, jobs and tourists to one of its poorest regions, and help address economic imbalances between the country’s east and west.
Al Beeb defender of Terrorists and Despots the world over.